Helios vs Meteor: which needs more amplifier?

The Symphonium Helios is 8.5Ω at 83.3 dB/mW; the Symphonium Meteor is 9.7Ω at 90.9 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The Helios needs 7.6 dB more than the Meteor to reach the same loudness — 47 mW against 8.1 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationHeliosMeteor
Impedance8.5 Ω9.7 Ω
Sensitivity83.3 dB/mW90.9 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)104.0 dB/V111.0 dB/V
Power for 100 dB47 mW8.1 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.63 V0.28 V
Current for 100 dB74.2 mA28.9 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
1.06 Ω1.21 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
179271

Where the two part company

92 of the 280 sources have the power for the Meteor but not for the Helios — Apple USB-C dongle (US), Generic CX31993 dongles, JadeAudio JA11, 89 more.

4 sources are low enough in output impedance for the Meteor under the one-eighth rule but not for the Helios (FiiO K11, FiiO BTR7, FiiO Q7, 1 more).

179 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: Symphonium Helios and Symphonium Meteor. Every figure on this page comes from what Symphonium published, or is derived from it — what that maker publishes, counted.